When you meet Jason Ciment, one of the first things you notice are the five bracelets he’s sporting. It’s not a fashion statement, but rather a means of expressing his beliefs and values.
The idea of distributing bracelets has been brewing since last year, when Ciment was given a bracelet while attending an Aish HaTorah minyan on Shavuot. He wore that for around six months, he told The Journal. But it wasn’t until six months later, when Ciment and his wife attended the Jewish National Fund-USA conference in Denver and the Republican Jewish National Convention in Las Vegas and noticed various organizations distributing bracelets, that he was inspired to create his own bracelet, something unique with a positive message.
The idea to incorporate meaningful messages onto the bracelets came after hearing stories of individuals concealing their Jewish identity out of fear saddened him deeply. Motivated by hearing speakers at the Vegas event — politicians and members of Congress — repeatedly tell the audience to never be ashamed or embarrassed for being Jewish, he thought, “I wanted to find another angle on feeling empowered. Something different than ’Am Israel Chai.’” He decided to inscribe the phrase “Ve-lo, Nevosh” (“And we shall not be ashamed”) in red letters on the bracelets as a symbol of solidarity and pride.
The words “Ve-lo, Nevosh,” appearing in various prayers and rituals, hold significant meaning in Jewish tradition, serving as a reminder to stand firm in one’s beliefs.
Every morning, as Jews prepare to recite the Shema, they sing the following words: “Ve-Lo nevosh, ve-lo nicalem, ve-lo nikashel, l’olam va’ed.”
These words remind us not to feel ashamed, humiliated, or discouraged because of who we are. It’s a fundamental teaching within Jewish prayer — the notion that we should embrace ourselves without shame, knowing that we are accepted and loved just as we are.
Joining forces with his brother Avi, who lives in Florida, Ciment ordered 3,000 bracelets and began distributing them to fellow Jews at events like the UCLA rally for Israel. (Avi does his part, handing out over 700 bracelets at his shul in Miami.) The response was overwhelming, with many expressing support and solidarity. “I hand them out personally by either pulling one off my wrist,” he explained, “I try to always have a few on my wrist,” or taking one from his pocket. At the UCLA rally, he “put out hundreds on a table that almost everyone had to pass by to get into the rally and people just took them and put them on.” He also tried to give each person at least two bracelets, so they can give somebody else one.”
In light of the rise in antisemitism, the sight of people openly supporting Israel through wearing these bracelets heartens Ciment. He recalled an instance where a non-Jew expressed a desire to stand in solidarity with Israel. “I went to a business meeting and this woman asked me about the bracelets I was wearing,” he said. “I explained it to her, and she said she said, ‘I’m not Jewish but I want to support Israel and show the world I stand by it.’ I gave her a bracelet and a month later, I happened to see her, and she was still wearing it.”
Encouraged by the positive reception, Ciment launched an Instagram page, at the urging of Dr. Matt Lefferman, to raise awareness. “He took hundreds of them and handed them out in Israel because his son made Aliyah and joined the IDF,” Ciment said. He called Lefferman “my most inspiring partner” who hands bracelets out and sends Ciment photos to be posted on Instagram.
Ciment, who owns the Get Visible marketing agency and is actively involved in outreach programs such as kiruv with NCSY & JSU (Jewish Student Union), finds this endeavor deeply meaningful and accessible to all.
These bracelets symbolize not only his personal conviction but also a collective commitment to pride and resilience in the face of adversity. With only 100 bracelets remaining from the initial order of 3,000, Ciment plans to replenish his stock.
